Conventional wheelbarrows include a trough or hopper supported on a pair of parallel handle shafts. The handle shafts extend rearwardly of a front wheel thereby permitting a user to stand between and grasp the ends of the shafts for lifting and maneuvering the wheelbarrow.
The handles of prior art wheelbarrows are generally formed as integral extensions of the shaft ends. These extentions are shaped so as to provide a comfortable grip for the operator when moving the wheelbarrow in a forward position. However, when it becomes necessary to lift and dump the contents within the wheelbarrow or to manipulate the wheelbarrow in a backward direction, problems soon arise.
When lifting a wheelbarrow equipped with conventional handles the wrists of a operator tend to bend backwards, but only a limited amount. Thus, at some point the operator must change his grip from an upward raising movement above the handle to a pushing-type movement from below the handle. With heavy loads, the dexterity and agility required to quickly change the grip position of both hands can be insurmountable. Consequently, the operator will very often dump the contents prematurely by tilting the wheelbarrow on its side. Even if successful in changing grips and pushing the handles upwards from below, he may then be required to entirely overturn the wheelbarrow in order to dump the load and avoid the risk of having to rechange grips. In any event, the movements are awkward and control of the dumping is either erratic or nonexistent. An operators wrist will also bend while urging the wheelbarrow backwards. With a heavy weight in the wheelbarrow, a user will soon tire thereby inviting injury or accident.
In addition, the disposition of conventional handles is such that the operator is often required to bend "at the knees" or bend over when moving forward so as to keep the contents within the wheelbarrow level and avoid spills. This is due in part to the fact that an operator will raise a standard wheelbarrow from the "at rest" level position, to an incline position when the wheelbarrow is lifted and moving forward. Thus, the strain from constantly attempting to keep the contents within the wheelbarrow from spilling makes its use both arduous and uncomfortable.